Found and Never Lost
by Dreamworkz01
Summary: This is my OC, Henrietta, who struggles between the domain of humanoid and hybrid. She left her past over 10 years ago to protect the ones she came to love, and now she finds herself being unexpectedly revisited by someone she meant to escape in the means of protection. Watch as she and Gantu rekindle something they never knew they had before and rebuild life anew. R&R!
1. Chapter 1 Remember

Disclaimer - I do not own any Lilo & Stitch characters. Though, I do own Henrietta and any OC characters that may pop up through out this story!

Chapter 1| Remember

Henrietta couldn't concentrate on her meditating. While she knew why, she just couldn't shake the old memories that stained the bare white walls of her trouble mind. It had been almost ten years since she abandoned her post as the second-in-command of the Galactic Federation, and the little things that sprung up in her thoughts every now and then still managed to make her clench her teeth and break out in a cold sweat. Though she had been a strong-minded individual whose loyalty never wavered in the least, she had decided to run away and never return. She didn't know if it was because she feared what she had become, or if it was the fact she feared hurting the people she had grown to know and love.

The crease on her forehead grew deeper the more she thought about her past, and that's what forced her to give a loud huff and stand. Henrietta ran her fingers through her waist length ash colored ringlets and sighed aloud. She was a beautiful young woman whose own body stood lean and toned. Her skin, a shade of pale cream, had the texture of silk, which brought out the rich sapphire in her eyes. Her soft round face was complimented by the high cheekbones that always bore a slight pink flush to them, which gave her that graceful goddess look. Her smile had no compare, as her perfectly straight teeth were lined by plump lips the color of a soft red rose. And when she grinned, her soft childish dimples came out of hiding, giving her the look of innocence.

Henrietta looked around the cave and dusted off her weighted training pants and her tank top before walking out into the bright sunlight. The waves crashed against the shore in front of her as she sat back down, the warmth of the sun's rays bathing her delicate skin. Her mind wondered once more. She remembered leaving Earth when she was younger to become a member of the Galactic Forces, and since she wasn't human, to learn how to control what she was. And then she remembered the first time she met her commanding officer, the most revered Commander of the Galactic Armada, Captain Gantu. He was the complete opposite of her of course. He had perfect humanoid characteristics pertaining to his rippling pectorals and muscled arms and legs. He stood at least 20 feet tall, with aquatic features. His teeth were sharp like a shark's deadly jaw and a small fin on the back of his head. He had tusks and feet similar to that of a pachyderm. But his eyes were the most non-humanoid of all. They were wholly a striking blue, the kind of blue that reminded her of the ocean. The Captain was a respected man, and people never disobeyed his commands. She understood why. She and her commanding officer grew to know one another as friends and that was a big reason she came back to Earth and lived her days in her humanoid form. She  
refused to go back to being her ravenous canine self, as she had almost lost control many times before.

Remembering the small control she had, it reminded her of Ginger. Ginger was one of the deck captains and coordinators who controlled the BRB. She had always comforted her when she was on the brink of cracking during her training at the Galactic Federation. She and Gantu both were almost like her mentors, coaxing her down the right path. She could remember those big gorgeous emerald colored eyes and soft silky coat that made Ginger look like as cute as could be. She was almost like a little Earth kitten in some ways. She had a sweet heart and always spoke softly, like a mother reassuring her child. Sadly, even though she cared deeply for her two friends, she realized they had never seen her humanoid before. And for that, she regretted the secrets she had kept from them. If they had seen her now, they would never recognize her unless she had let herself change, and that's one thing she couldn't let happen.

Henrietta grumbled and grabbed a handful of sand, letting the granules slip between her fingers. Then, slowly, she let go of her control, and allowed her hand to start partially phasing. Her claws came out and her digits grew curved slightly. She looked at the fur starting to spread across the top of her hand, growing in shaggy thick patches. Then as quick as she had changed, she changed back. Her control the last ten years had grown greatly. She no longer struggled to keep the monster under wraps, but there were times when she didn't have to the control over herself. She chuckled a bit as she stared at the clouds silently before closing her eyes and drifting into a soft slumber.

It had been a good hour before she was awoken by arguing around the bend of her little abandoned island on the outskirts of Hawaii. That was just it. It was suppose to be abandoned, wasn't it? She growled lowly, the hair on the back of her neck raising a little. She slowly rose to her feet and hesitantly approached the edge of the rock formation. Taking a deep breath in, she peaked around the bend. And with that, her heart stopped. She was about to pass out with what she saw. Everything in her mind said run, but her heart kept her there. Her legs wouldn't move. She felt as if her whole world had stopped and the past had decided to revisit her. Around the bend, her Commander stood with a small beige alien that did nothing but speak of food. She didn't know what to do. She had left to get away from hurting them. She was sure she had left them behind for good, but here he was, standing in front of her, arms crossed and arguing with this annoying little creature. She had two choices: to either turn and run away again or approach them and speak as if she didn't know them. She certainly couldn't have told him who she was. If she did, she couldn't face the wrath of her old commander or the guilt he would place on her shoulders. She was gravitating towards the first one, but something in the pit of her stomach made her rethink it.

And with that, she sucked in her breath, and chose.


	2. Chapter 2 Sorrow from the Past

Disclaimer - I do not own any Lilo & Stitch characters, but I do own Henrietta and any other OC that happen to pop up in this story!

Chapter 2| Sorrow from the Past

She slowly emerged one step at a time from around the bend, her teeth clenched and hands tightly gripping her pants. Her heart raced as if it was going to blow a hole through her chest and she couldn't comprehend the fact that he of all people was standing in front of her after ten years. She knew he wouldn't recognize her since she was in her human form. One thing for sure was he hadn't changed. He still had that prideful arrogant air about him as he stood with his arms crossed and nose up like he was better than everybody else, but deep down she knew he was just a man who was merely serious about his work. The one thing she could tell though was he was exhausted and he looked like he had been in a war. His clothes were tattered and scorched as if he had be on fire and he had dark bags under those deep blue eyes. That worried her immensely.

She finally came into their view and calmly spoke. "Hey, might I help you?"

Gantu himself turned and looked down at her, stunned at the sight of a human offering assistance. He was shocked she hadn't run away yet, though the woman seemed as calm as could be, unwavered by his appearance. He quickly recovered from the slight shock, and gave her a sneer, snapping back at her in a way that was familiar. Ah, the memoires. "I do not need help from you, human."

Henrietta scoffed at him loudly and shrugged while turning away from him. She waved back at him. "Suit yourself, dumbass. You wanna starve on this island, that's your decision." She could hear the scurrying of the little beige creature and the rustling of the captain's pants.

"Hey Blubberbutt, maybe you should listen to the lady." She heard it say and chuckled at the way he addressed him. She heard the captain grumble and sigh. She knew she was right and so did he. She let out another giggle.

"Human." He muttered, a little embarrassed about having to level himself to her. As she remembered, he loved the authority and he didn't have it in this situation. She looked over her shoulder at him and smirked a little. He grumbled at her, "We need to get off this island. But for the time being, we—" He was cut off by the sound of his stomach gurgling loudly. He placed his massive hand on the set of abs he had and muttered a little. Henrietta softly smiled and waved at them both to follow her. And with that they trailed behind her.

Darkness had grown outside and the only light present was the warm fire dancing in the center of all three of them. They had gone fishing for dinner and picked up island grown fruits and vegetables like lychee and collards from the land around them to compliment the fresh caught Mahimahi. The little fur ball grumbled about the food not being a sandwich of some type in which Henrietta just rolled her eyes and continued to peel and eat her mango. During this time, Gantu constantly stared at the girl they just became acquainted with. He found something familiar about her, but he wasn't sure what. Maybe it was her glorious smile or the brightness in her sapphire eyes. He couldn't shake the feeling in his stomach, but he figured it was nothing to be concerned about. The girl looked up at him and smiled a little.

"So," she began after swallowing her last bite. "What brought you to this island? There is no way you got here without transportation, hence it being separated from the mainland." She lifted her bottle of water and took a quick swig.

He moved uncomfortably at her question. "We were left here after failing to acquire something for a job, per say." And that was that. He went back to eating his fish and fresh produce while leaving Henrietta confused and propping her thin eyebrow at him. She peered over to the little fur ball who was done eating and rubbing his round belly and then back to Gantu. She thought about being polite and offering an introduction but that would be a dead giveaway, so she dropped it and hoped that no one would ask. She was very thankful for the silence. She hated being questioned.

As her fears were answered, Gantu huffed, "What are you doing here?"

Henrietta sadly smiled a little, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Her eyes watched the swirling flames licked the humid air while she became lost in her thoughts. She quietly answered him. "I was a coward. I ran away from the things that scared me the most, and I wound up here. It was a hard decision, but I did what I had to do."

The Captain just stared at her for a moment with a look of puzzlement on his face. She didn't look up from the fire as she gave a small sad smile. Her heart hurt and she cringed at the memories. She wanted nothing but to tell him who she was and explain why she left, but she knew the consequences. She couldn't allow herself to put him in danger because of what she was. She knew how he'd react to the news also, and she wouldn't be able to live it down. She figured since he was so devoted to his work, he would curse her for leaving her platoon behind along with her captain. He would never understand.

The little beige creature yawned and rolled over on his side, and within minutes, he was snoring. She chuckled at him. She admired such innocence as it seemed the only thing he dared to think about was food and rest. She yawned a little. "Maybe it's time we get some rest. I bet you two are exhausted from what you've been through today."

The Captain grumbled again before yawning loudly also. That was Henrietta's cue. She smiled as she removed a few blankets she kept within her duffle bag and tossed it to the Captain. She took another and laid it over the sleeping creature, which gripped it and rolled over to face the cave wall. "Well, I bid you goodnight, sir." And with that she laid down and rolled over towards the cave opening where the moonlight splayed in and made the area around her bare a silvery light upon it. She listened to him lay down on the opposite side of the campfire and huff before he too started snoring.

She touched her chest and sighed. "You haven't change a bit." She whispered before slipping into a deep slumber.


	3. Chapter 3 Wounds Reopened

Disclaimer - I do not own any of the Lilo & Stitch characters! But I do own Henrietta and any OC characters that happen to appear in this story!

Chapter 3| Wounds Reopened

Darkness. That's all Henrietta could see. She cried for help many of times, but no one could hear her, not even herself. She threw her arms around like a mad woman and screamed over and over again. The black abyss felt suffocating to her, and just when she thought she was going to choke, a bright light appeared at the end of the tunnel. She took a step through the exit to enter an endless white void. She kept walking forward but it never ended; the insanity. She began to panic and scream again, but no one was there. Nobody, not even her own shadow accompanied her. She was truly alone. As realization hit her, she fell to her knees and put her face into her hands. The panic became sorrow as she balled, tears squeezing between her fingers and dripping onto the plain white dress she was wearing. Her heart ached very well knowing she would always be alone. She longed to be with the people she cared for. The word kept bouncing off the walls in her mind as she could hear a voice taunting her. Alone, alone, alone. That's all she was hearing. She was about to crack. She started to cry and scream louder, but nothing came out. "Hey!" She heard a voice yell and she ran towards the sound…

She awoke to the Captain shaking her. "Wake up, hey! Wake up." Henrietta's eyes snapped open and immediately she covered her face to hide from him. She couldn't explain how hurt she felt. The old scars that had been there for ten years had reopened due to the realization that she truly in every sense was alone in this world now. She was shaking so bad she could hardly stand.

Gantu was a bit startled by what he had seen while the girl was sleeping. His slumber had been interrupted by her whimpering. He had turned over and watched her sleep for a bit, and the longer he watched, the more violent it had got. It went from soft whimpers to unusual animalistic growls and snarls. He had been around the little human girl and the trog 626 for several years now and he could tell the difference from the habits of a human and the habits of an animal. And what scared him was she had both. Within the midst of her dreaming, she had clawed up the floor of the cave entrance and released a deafening howl that echoed with despair. Gantu had then got up and hesitantly approached her thrashing body. In the middle of him attempting to roll her over to wake her up the first time, she had without meaning thrown her claws towards him and dragged them down his chest. The wound was deep and it immediately started dripping the deep red substance that was his blood. He held his left side where the wound ended and huffed in pain. Even though he had gotten hurt, he was determined to protect her and her wellbeing. So he leaped forward, knowing very well he could get injured again, and grabbed her lashing form. That's when he began to shake her and yell for her to wake up. He was never going to forget the petrified look in her eyes as they snapped open and rimmed with tears.

Henrietta let the tears slip through her fingers as she hid her face from the shame she had already caused herself. When she pulled her face away from the shield, she did nothing but stare at the bloody claws that were her hands. Her control had broken, and she had injured someone. Her claws slowly changed back to their original state, her fingers replacing the bloody talons. Her eyes widened as they never left the sight of the red liquid staining her very fingertips. Then she looked up at Gantu, who was holding his side tightly to control the blood loss. She got to her feet and raised her hands up at him in a pleading manner. "I'm so sorry," she choked out. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. I—I—" She couldn't finish her sentence. She was so broken now. The reason she got away from him was to protect him and her comrades from herself. But here he was, stained in blood and injured because of her.

As she was having her break down, the Captain sat down against the wall and slowly breathed in and out, hoping the pain would dull. He grumbled a little, and looked over at 625, who was still sound asleep in the same spot he had first laid down in. He was wondering how he could sleep through all the ruckus that had been taking place around him, but then remembered sleep was one of the things he excelled in. He winced a little at the sharp pain that came to the open wound when he moved closer to the wall behind him. The feeling he had the night before was still there bubbling in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't shake this familiar feeling he had somehow had before. It felt like déjà vu almost.

He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't seen the girl come over. She gently touched his hand to move it away from the gaping wound to take a look at it. She cringed at the sight of her own doing. The gashes went from his right pectoral to the left side of his body, and luckily, she had only gotten him with three of her talons with that swipe. If she had gotten him with all five digits, he would have bled out a lot worse. She picked up her water bottle, ripped a piece of her pant leg off, and wetted it.

"This will hurt a little," she whispered to him. She began to dab at the wound, wiping away the blood what was clinging to the outsides of his lacerations. She pulled over the duffle bag and dug through until she found some hydro-peroxide and poured a little on the cut. It began to bubble up and foam, which caused the Captain some discomfort. She sat back. "It will take a few minutes for the disinfectant to set in…" she murmured. She couldn't bear to look him in the face, for her shame was eating her inside and out. Her stomach hurt and her heart pounded erratically. She would never forgive herself for this.

"Human," Gantu began but Henrietta cut him off by raising her hand. She sadly smiled a little at the term he used to address her, even after she clawed him half to death and phased in front of him. She looked him in the eyes.

"It's my fault," she murmured. "I'm sorry. You are injured because of me. And for that, I beseech forgiveness." She reached over and grabbed the damp material and cleaned the wound up a little more. While she tended to him, Gantu stared at her. He couldn't help but feel sorry for the woman. He could tell she physically was being beaten up by the guilt that ate away at her constantly, and this situation certainly didn't help.

He stared at the ceiling for a long while before answering her. "And you have it."

His response made Henrietta stop dead in the middle of wrapping his torso up with bandage. She looked at him with wide eyes that rimmed with tears once more. She hadn't expected him to answer, and she certainly hadn't expected him to accept her apology and forgive her. He had changed indefinitely in the past ten years. His hard exterior had melted a little and revealed someone with a good heart. She smiled a little and wiped away the tears that started to freely drip down her cheeks. "Thank you." She choked, relieved. Gantu only replied with a huff. And with that, she finished tending to his injuries.


	4. Chapter 4 Uncovered

Disclaimer - I do not own Lilo and Stitch and any of its characters. But I do, however, own Henrietta Dawn Wolverton and any other OC characters that appear in this story! Enjoy!

Chapter 4| Uncovered

The sun was setting against the magnificent horizon in a cascade of reds, oranges and pinks. That's one thing that Henrietta loved about Hawaii. Everything was beautiful and authentic, true to its own roots. The evening light painted her back as she collected more firewood for the next couple of days of use. Hands full, she traveled back to the cave where Gantu and the little creature sat, waiting for her return. Her mind was still all over the place as she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. She could never forgive herself. She had done the Captain wrong in many ways already, and now she had injured the poor man. She huffed and shifted the falling wood closer to her body as she climbed the rocks on the other side of the cavern which bridged her home to the shoreline.

Her body ached with the stress she was carrying in her heart. She had to tell Gantu eventually. She just didn't know how she would do it and what the reaction would be. She couldn't bare him being angry with her, which was a definite possibility at this point in time. She could already see it; the yelling, the screaming, the cursing, and all the blame. It scared her almost as much being alone had done.

She arrived at the cave and entered with a small frown upon her face. Gantu was still propped up against the wall, his ribs wrapped tightly within the binding, and the little creature was sitting using a stick to etch little shapes into the dirt in front of him, prying his mind from the tight grasp of boredom. Henrietta approached him and placed the firewood down between the two of them.

"Hey, you," she muttered to him, not taking her eyes way from the pile in front of her. "Help me stack these." She got on her knees and started to assemble the logs in an orderly manner. The beige creature huffed at her and crossed his chubby arms.

"I have a name, ya know?" He scrunched his face at her like he had smelled something rotten. She turned to him and stared straight into his coal black eyes, her brows knitting together. She stopped what she was doing and patiently waited for him to continue and address himself but with him not speaking to her liking, she was forced to lay the first card.

"What is your name then?" She said monotonous.

He puffed his little chest out and gave a prideful grin as he said, "The name is 625. Sandwich extraordinaire. Nice ta meet ya!" He then offered a pudgy little hand to her, beaming an adorable goofy grin that could make even the nastiest brute melt. She accepted his hand and they consummated the introduction with a strong shake. She smiled gingerly at him before getting back to stacking lumber.

After kindling up a new fire, 625 started to whine about being hungry. He rubbed his tummy and rolled around on the ground, trying to get Henrietta to go and find food for him. He cooed something about some kind of sandwich, and carried on about what he'd put on it. She stood and dusted the wood chips and dirt off her clothing, a little annoyed with her newfound acquaintance's whining. "Alright, alright. I'll head out for some grub, ok, dude?" 625 jumped for the sky in relief, knowing he was going to get to scarf down some sustenance. Henrietta picked up her bag and flung it over her shoulder, turning towards the cavern entrance to leave once more. Right before departing, she gave the injured Captain a quick look. His face was drained of all emotion as he sat there and stared at the floor. He seemed to be in his own little world. She grimaced a little, realizing how pale he looked from the blood loss he suffered. The guilt constantly ate at her stomach now, making the pain cultivate up her sides. In attempt to shake the image from her head, she turned away from him as quick as she could and left to gather their dinner.

It had been hours since Henrietta left the campsite, and both the Captain and 625 were getting antsy waiting for her to return. They couldn't imagine her getting lost or injured on the very island she lived on. She obviously could traverse the jagged rock formations and trail the thick underbrush of the tropical forest around them. She had managed to catch several fish the night before, so they knew she could take care of herself, but that didn't keep that irksome feeling in their stomachs from growing. 625 paced around with his bottom lip puckered, the crease in his forehead growing deeper with worry. He turned to Gantu, placing his hands on his hips and tilting his head sideways. "Hey, Fish Lips, you think the lady is ok?"

Gantu didn't respond to his question. He sat there, pondering about their current situation. This complete stranger had been nice enough to open her arms and offer them a roof over their heads, a nice fire to keep them warm and to cook food with, and she even offered to return them to the mainland in due time. Her hospitality befuddled him. Not many humans would open their homes without knowing those entering and he admired her for that. But, that wasn't the only thing he was wondering about. Something about her seemed familiar to him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was eating at him. SHE was eating at him. He had to admit, for a human woman she was beautiful. The moment they had met, he had instantaneously noticed several distinct features such as her smile. That damn smile. When she grinned, it almost looked as if she were smirking. But behind that smirk, he could see the regret and exhaustion she carried with her. For some ridiculous reason, he cared. He shook his head with a grunt, frustrated at himself. He was the illustrious Captain Gantu who commanded the Galactic Armada! He was a warrior of superior class! A little Earth woman should have no effect upon him. But…

He stood his full height, gripping his side and wincing at the sharp pain in his side. 625 looked at him, propping an eyebrow. "Where do ya think you're going, Blubberbutt?"

Gantu scowled at him, shouldering the blanket the woman had given him. "I need some fresh air." He spat out vehemently, slowly exiting the cavern with a confused 625 watching him depart. The little alien just shrugged and continued to kindle the flames of their campfire.

The moon was full in the sky above and the stars shone ever so brightly alongside it. Gantu trailed along the path they had gone before to gather food, pushing aside stray branches and underbrush, adjusting the quilt to cover the bare skin of his shoulders. He didn't know for sure why he went looking for her, but he was determined to discover the Earth woman's location. It was inexcusable. The woman had been gone for almost 4 hours for a task that shouldn't of taken more than an hour. He could have already been done ten times over, and still have made it back in time for dinner. He snorted to himself, a little boastful. He knew the training he had had beforehand would have sufficed for such a simple task. He thought about all those years in the Galactic Federation, and all the blood, sweat, and tears that he had shed during that time. He remembered all the injuries he had acquired during his missions as a trainee and he proudly remembered how he managed to rise up in the ranks and become the captain of the Galactic Armada. He recalled all the years he stood there with his title before being discharged, with his second-in-command by his side. That hurt his head to think about; his second-in-command…

Gantu suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. He had come upon a beautiful waterhole on the north side of the cave. The spring was outlined with beautiful palm trees and exotic flowers of all sorts, and the moonlight shimmered on the crystal clear water's surface, revealing all the uniquely colored rocks and shells that were left upon the bank. The sand surrounding the hole was a deep rich color of red, the worn color of rust almost. It was the most stunning thing he had ever seen in his entire time on Earth. He came closer to its edge, but stopped once more when something caught his eye. Well someone. He shaded his eyes with one of his hands to get a better look. He could definitely tell it was a person wading in the water with their back turned to him. He raised his hand up and waved at them. "Excuse me!" He called out. And when said individual turned around in response to his call, his jaw dropped to the floor and his eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.

With a quivering voice, the only words he had the strength to muster out were, "It's you."


	5. Chapter 5 Confessions

Sorry If I had kept any fans waiting! If it wasn't for _Sharca_, author of the amazing story "When Men Were Divine Mortals", I wouldn't have been able to finish this chapter and find a way to get them off this abandoned island :D Go read both of our stories and R&R please!

Disclaimer – I do not own Lilo & Stitch, but I do own the beautiful Henrietta and any other OC that happens to appear in this fanfiction!

Chapter 5| Confessions

"Henrietta."

The angelic woman stood before him naked as the moonlight kissed her silhouette. She had transformed herself. Instead of the beautiful human that had left them hours ago, a striking hybrid stood before him. She had characteristics of that of a wolf, but stood as a human. Her entire body was covered in a silky russet coat, but she still had the long blackened ringlets of her previous form. She had a short snout that stood out upon her round humanoid face, and vibrant deep blue eyes. It felt as if she were staring into his soul with those sapphire ocular orbs. Her face was unreadable as she stood there in the cool water, her unkempt tail swaying against its surface. The light outlined the voluptuous curves of her body.

He hadn't fully recognized who she was before, while she was portraying a human. But now, as a hybrid, his own memories began to haunt him. He recalled the beautiful features of his second-in-command as she had once stood beside him before the mysterious disappearance. It had been a long time, and he could see the differences in her. Her once short hair was now a long luxurious mane of curls and her once teenage body had become a mature figurine of womanly refinement.

His snout turned a bright red as the realization of her nudity took full effect. He looked down, a little flustered at the sight. He was flooded with emotion – Anger, sadness, confusion, and happiness. He felt like exploding. Deep down, his heart had seen the similarities, and now everything was confirmed. He glanced up at her, tightly balling his fists up. Finally, she made her move. She turned her body to fully face him, the look she was giving him never faltering. "Captain."

Gantu's heart pounded erratically against his rib cage. His knuckles where turning white from the intensity of his grip as he took a staggered step forward. He could hardly believe what he saw. After ten years of questions and blame, here she stood, basking in the moonlight. He sputtered a little, the redness in his face growing. He tried very hard not to stare at her and the fullness of her figure. He turned his face away again, diverting his gaze to the scattered clothes lying on the damp shore around him.

Henrietta approached him, her gaze softening as she stared at him. She came to a halt about ten feet away from him, and frowned. Her heart ached knowing the pain she had caused him, and as of that moment, she could see it bubbling to the surface of his demeanor. She had never meant to cause him pain. She had only meant to protect his wellbeing. She couldn't begin to fathom the destruction she could cause in her final state, the monstrosity that she kept hidden away like a great evil that was constantly knocking at the door of her own subconscious, but was restrained by the authoritative chains of her own will power. She could see Gantu physically shaking, and that made her stomach clench. She wasn't sure what to say. She broke her gaze and looked up at the stars. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

Her words broke into Gantu's mind, shattering the state of shock he was in for a split moment before he looked up at her. He ignored the comment she made, and somehow managed to speak calmly, despite his current position, though his tone had a harsh bite to it. "We have a lot to discuss, lieutenant."

She chuckled at the way he addressed her. She raised her hands at him and shook her head. She gave that damn smirk of hers. "Please, Captain, I am no longer of that caliber. You can just call me Henrietta – Retta for short, if you prefer, sir."

Gantu looked away from the woman and her bareness again, the redness of his face growing, and fumbled with the coverage he carried around his shoulders, grumbling irritably. The distance between them closed as he placed the quilt around her shoulders. She responded by taking the corners and pulling it around her body, shielding the world from her nakedness. They descended to the shore in utter silence.

Henrietta, now garbed in a larger pair of weighted training pants and a thin spaghetti strapped tank top, sat upon the bank with her knees pressed tightly to her chest as her expression appeared somber. She knew what was coming her way. She had predicted it before and identified she was correct. She closed her eyes and tried to steady her breathing, but to no avail, as her mind was all over the place. She had already noticed the Captain had sensed her erratic heartbeat, which drummed loudly in her ears. Anxiety encased her demeanor as she perceived how tense he was physically, his rippling pectorals twitching slightly.

Gantu noticed the force of her apprehension as she sat in complete silence beside him, the moonlight playing beautifully off her soft russet fur and glistening eyes. He recalled the first time he had met the young lieutenant. She came to the United Galactic Federation looking for a new life, and hoping to prove herself. And of course, she had. He himself had watched her progress exponentially during the course of training. At times, he scoffed at the thought of a WOMAN succeeding at the grueling process, but found himself dumbfounded at her dedication and perseverance even with her struggles. He remembered watching her keenly as she tore way through the battle recreation course. He had never seen someone so diligent on the battlefield, watching her tear apart the combat simulators and navigate the environment. He admired that fiery tenaciousness she had. And when she had finally worked her way to the top, he gladly accepted her as his second-in-command and first lieutenant. Aside from the Grand Councilwoman, he had never met such a zealous young woman, one who portrayed years of wisdom and maturity, and yet had the ferociousness of an experienced admiral. That's what stumped him. Why would she leave her role of being such a respected individual behind for this?

The silence had gone on long enough. He was determined to learn the truth and the meaning behind her actions. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, and grunted. "Henrietta."

She followed his movements, looking back at him the same way, and slowly answered him. "Sir?"

Gantu took a deep breath and blew out noisily. "I demand to know the truth, and nothing less." He put on that tough guy act, but Henrietta could see straight through it. She could see a mixture of anger, pain, and confusion in his eyes. She sighed aloud, straightened her legs out in front of her, and placed all her weight back on her arms as she stared straight ahead at the water. They just sat there for a bit, nothing but the crickets chirping filling in the silence of the night. Where could she start? "What do you want to know?"

"You abandoned your platoon and your commanding officer. What were your reasons?" He scowled at her and that made Henrietta a little nervous. She fidgeted a little before she began her story.

"Alright. Let's get this over with," She sighed. "You know partially why I attended the training camp. I wanted to become stronger, and become someone who had proved to the world she had what it took to be someone with restraint, as I told you years ago. You know also, I attempted to divide myself away from the rest of the soldiers, including yourself. I rose within the ranks, and became your lieutenant. But I could feel myself slipping…" Her voice slowly dropped off into silence again as her own memories began to nip at the corners of her mind.

Gantu raised a hand in question. "Slipping? What do you mean?"

"You do not know the real reason I joined the Galactic Armada." She turned her head to look at him, her body quivering and a serious look in her eyes. She had never confessed her real intentions to anybody, not even him. She knew he wouldn't understand. He wasn't the monster. "I joined to gain control of the monster within myself. When I felt myself slipping again, I had to leave."

His brow ridges knitted together. Monster? He grumbled and leaned forward on his knee, an unreadable expression masking his features. He was a little frustrated at the moment, mostly at the fact she hadn't been completely honest with him before. He had thought they were close friends, so he had believed they both had been completely open with one another. He didn't recall any kind of unusual activity from her and hadn't suspected for anything to be wrong. "I don't quite understand."

"I figured you wouldn't," Henrietta scowled at him a bit in response. "And I hope you never have to. I only left to protect you and our crew. Nothing more, nothing less."

"So what exactly happened when you came back?" Gantu stared forward, ignoring the strange feeling that was forming in his chest when she said that and noting the moon was starting to drop from the sky. It must have been close to morning. The moon had begun to drop and the stars where slightly fading.

"When I returned to Earth, my parents were nowhere to be found. I searched, but they had left without notifying me where they had moved off to. I was so shocked; I felt betrayed." She quickly glanced at Gantu's stoic expression before continuing. "I stayed at their abandoned house for a few months, waiting for them to return, but soon after I realized I wasn't gonna get anywhere living there. So I moved on, and somehow, found myself here."

Gantu sat silently, blank. He wasn't thinking very much. He felt numb, for reasons unknown to him. "So, what brings you here?" She asked, combing a few stray locks of hair behind her pointed ear. He looked at her, his eyes hardening. He wasn't sure how to explain his recent employment issues, knowing she'd be a little shocked. He was embarrassed about being retired from the Galactic Armada and being reemployed by his current psychotic little rodent of a boss. He cleared his throat, his face his facing flushing as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, you see," He started. Oh, the agony. He sighed. "I no longer command the Galactic Armada. I was…retired…after an experiment named 626 escaped from my grasp twice. I now work for Dr. Jacques Van Hamsterviel, the former partner of 626's creator, _idiot_ scientist of Galaxy Defense Industries, Dr. Jumba Jukeeba. I am here to capture the remaining 625 experiments, deliver them to Hamsterviel, and redeem myself."

Henrietta quirked an eyebrow at him, shocked. "I'm sorry for your misfortune. I'm shocked the Grand Councilwoman would retire you after all the time and effort you had put into improving the Armada." He nodded back at her. He looked at her oddly, not expecting her to snort before sending him a smug little smirk. "You sound so damn formal still! Ha!" She threw her head back and laughed out loud, one of her hands holding her gut. "And that...what was his name..? Hamsterwheel? He sounds evil as shit. Why would you work for someone who sounds like he's trying to exact his revenge or something? How is that redeeming yourself?" She quirked an eyebrow, frowning. Glaring back at her, Gantu stood and pointed at her.

"How can you understand, woman!?" He raised his voice at her, the glare hardening. "I worked my entire life to get where I am now, and I don't need some WOMAN analyzing my situations!"

Henrietta stood, her eyes narrowing and her teeth showing. She was close to her final form as is, and came up to Gantu's chest. She snarled a little before pointing back at him. "Excuse me!? This WOMAN has a name! And last I checked, you didn't take orders from some arrogant fucking prick! You had more BALLS than that!"

Gantu put his hand over his eyes, and groaned, ignoring the comment about his manhood. "From the way you're talking, you aren't even acting like a woman! You're acting like a…a—" Gantu stopped when Henrietta grabbed the front of his space suit, pulling him down so he was face to face with her. "GO AHEAD! SAY IT!" She dared. Gantu smirked back, and narrowed his eyes. "Like a DOG! You are acting like an ill-mannered MUTT!"

He was taken aback when he felt the woman slam her fist into his jaw, sending him stumbling far back. He grabbed his face, spitting a little bit of saliva and blood on the ground in front of him. It had felt like a wrecking ball had knocked his head off of his shoulders. The pain radiated through his right jaw up to his right eye. His eye felt like it had exploded with the impact. He grunted and gritted his teeth before looking back up at her, his face already swelling where her fist had connected. Blitznak. She stood before him, her teeth bared and ears laid back against her head. She snarled at him like a trapped animal while her entire frame shook with anger. "How dare you call me a _DOG_! That's all I was to you! _A DOG OF THE MILITARY_! But let me tell you something, I wasn't your damn _WATCH DOG_! I actually have feelings and a life!" She moved back and crossed her arms across her chest, her face scrunching as angry tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "How would you know what I went through...? Do you even know what would have happened if I had lost control? You wouldn't know the consequences for such a thing! I would have lost everything!" She turned to him and flung her arms up in the arm, her anger growing and her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Maybe I should have let go! Maybe I should have let go and murdered you all! Maybe then you would have seen it! Maybe I was dumb enough to care what happened to the crew!"

Henrietta threw her head back and bellowed, "_MAYBE I JUST CARED TOO MUCH ABOUT YOU_!" She froze. Did she just hear herself right? Her eyes widened as she slowly lowered her head to look back at the startled ex-captain. Gantu's arms dropped to his sides while his eyes widened. His mouth was agape, his brain trying to comprehend what she said and form sentences to respond. He shook his head and watched her fumble over herself trying to form some kind of explanation. He gawked at her. Was…she BLUSHING!? He chuckled a little, wincing at the pain that shot through his face, and crossed his arms over his chest. He had to admit, he had cared for the girl before. They had gotten really close as friends, but there was something else he couldn't put his finger on. When she had mysteriously disappeared, he had blamed himself for it. Of course, he wasn't sure what he had done wrong. He scoffed. NO MAN ever knows what they do wrong when a woman is upset. During his time as Captain, everyone had noticed the difference in his mood after Henrietta had disappeared. He had become mopey and he was easily angered by anything and everything. Everyone eventually became accustomed to his anger and just stayed out of his way. He didn't understand why he felt the way he did during that time, and ultimately, that personality became who he was.

Gantu rubbed the back of his head while Henrietta still rambled on, trying to explain herself. He wasn't listening. His expression softened when he felt relief wash over him. He had found her. All those years of blame could end now that he knew the real reason she had left. Gantu reached out and grabbed her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. She propped an eyebrow at him. He sighed aloud. "I cared for you, too…Retta." He muttered loud enough for her to hear. Henrietta widened her eyes as he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug. Her face turned bright red as she laid her head against his chest. Her heart pounded in her eyes. She didn't know what was going on. One minute she was pissed at him and punching him in the face, the next he was hugging her and saying he cared!? Whoa. Thinking was making her head hurt.

She gently pushed away from him and gave him a questioning look. He sadly smiled back and furrowed his eye ridges. "I'm simply relieved to know my friend is safe and sound, after thinking…maybe I myself had done something wrong." He released her and took a shy step back.

Henrietta smiled at him and chuckled, punching him playfully in the arm. "Naw, none of you guys did anything. It was my own doing. I would have never forgiven myself if any of you guys had gotten hurt because of my weakness. I apologize for leaving without notice, but I did what I thought was best, sir."

Gantu winced and lightly laughed in response, rubbing his arm. He looked up at the sky, watching the sun rise over the horizon, engulfing the little paradise within its gentle rays. Shadows were cast down upon them from the palm trees and exotic plants surrounding the area, sketching out the lay of the land. He smiled at the sight and looked back over at his friend. Henrietta scoffed. "I guess I should change back before I head back. 625 is gonna flip shit when he sees me likes this." Gantu nodded in response.

"Naw, I'm good." Gantu and Henrietta whirled around to see 625 standing at the end of the trail with a mango in his hand. He chomped down and took a large bite out of it before chewing twice and swallowing it. "Took ya long enough to "find her", Gantu." 625 snorted, and put his chubby hands on his hips. "Geez, if you two wanted alone time, coulda told me."

"How long have you been standing there!?" Gantu scowled, a blush breaking out across both him and Henrietta's faces. He crossed his arms across his chest, and tapped one finger against his bicep in annoyance.

"Oh, uh, probably just the whole time!" 625 sneered, laughing a little at the look on the woman's face. Henrietta reached down and grabbed the experiment by his leg, holding him upside down in front of her face. "Hey, hey! Put me down!" He yelped, swinging his arms out at her. She snorted in response.

"You tell _ANYONE_ what you saw," She snarled for a second before smirking. "I _WILL_ eat you. You won't see the light of day ever again. I promise you that." 625 cringed as he quickly nodded. She dropped him and watched as he landed on his head, rolling over and rubbing his backside. He stuck his tongue out at her before hastily running to take refuge behind Gantu's leg. Tears rolled down his face comically as Henrietta rolled hers in response.

"Ok, so…I know I agreed to help you guys get home," She huffed, crossing her arms. "But to be completely honest with you guys, I'm not sure how to do that. Now that I think about it, there is no kind of bridge to the mainland."

Gantu frowned as his expression hardened. His hopes of eating some potato salad soon had been demolished. "Then we are marooned..." He sighed. What he wouldn't give to be back at his ship and lay down in his own bed…"Wait just a minute there, big guy!" 625 dug around within his fur (strangely enough, he can hide stuff in there), and pulled out a little flat ovular object. The two giants quirked their brows at him in question, making him largely smirk. He laughed out loud. "It's the remote to that two-man cruiser you have back at the ship! Don't you remember that thing has a tracking device synced with the remote?"

Gantu quickly grabbed the remote out of the experiments little hand and growled. "You've had this the whole time!? And you never said anything?" The woman scoffed and gave him a dirty glare. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Heh," 625 gulped and shrugged tensely. "I forgot, eh?" He received to blank stares in response before Gantu clicked the remote, calling the ship. Henrietta gave Gantu a small smile, glad things worked out for those two. "I suppose you guys are heading home, huh?" She clamped her hand onto his broad shoulder and sighed. "It was a real treat seeing you, sir. I bid you good luck with wherever your road takes you." She released him and began, to his dismay, walking to the trail that led to her little cave. Gantu started to say something when 625 beat him to it.

"Hey," He said, running after her and latching onto her pant leg. She looked down in question at the little smiling experiment. "Why don't you come with us? I bet it's lonely here all by yourself." 625 then started to cackle. "I bet Gantu would REALLY like you to stay too! You guys could help each other out, 'cause he needs to get laid!" He fell back on the ground, holding his gut while tears rolled down his face. He laughed even harder when both Retta and Gantu's faced turned a bright red before they hastily looked away from each other, avoiding one another's gaze.

"Shaddup," She said before she kicked him away from her leg, embarrassment setting in. She was a little startled when Gantu cleared his throat and looked up at her, the red tinge on his cheeks still there.

"Would you like to come with us?" He asked, avoiding her stare. She pondered for a moment. Hell, it would beat living off of fish, and wild plants! And there would be real heat…and a shower…and a bed… Henrietta scoffed a little, turning away to hide the red staining her cheeks. "Well, if you really want me to…" She spun around and smiled. "Okay!" 625 cheered and danced around them as Gantu blew out noisily with relief. He couldn't help but grin when he noticed how happy she looked when she took their offer. He felt relieved, but he felt something else too. He just didn't know what…

As soon as 625 told them to look, he looked off in the direction his friend was pointing only to see the two-man cruiser heading to their rescue.


End file.
